ESC: Sanity
by taicen
Summary: KH AU fanfic In the future the human race has learned how to control living beings with pulse. Erean Sphygmology Cooperation assures safety, but people start acting strange. Corrupted minds hunger for the excitement. Outcast are born and humans aren't safe. There's always a secret behind the great picture. Akuroku, slight Zemyx and Soriku.


Day ?, ?:?A/PM

Sanity.  
White space.  
Madness.  
Black space.

Blonde boy licked off the dripping drool from corner of his lips.

_Innocent. _  
He was _innocent_.

He had been staring forward with empty look in eyes for so long, that he had completely lost his sense of time. How long he had been there? He couldn't say. Days, weeks, months... it didn't matter.  
It's not like he had anything better to do - tied up in straitjacket wasn't exactly giving too much options.

But he was _innocent_.

And that's what he had told them. Of course, they didn't believe. But who would've? If he would've been told that, he wouldn't have believed it.  
He couldn't understand what happened.  
It all happened so quick.  
Everything was messed up.  
Covered in blood.  
In so little time.

The straitjacket was tight. Boy's breathing was getting heavier. Exhaustion. It was hot. Sweat running down his neck. So thirsty.  
He wanted to sleep. Just to close his eyes and fall into deep dream, never to be awaken.  
To forget.  
Forget it all.  
The red. Forget the red.  
There was nothing worth living for.

Literally.  
There was _nothing_.

***

Day 012, 01:55PM

- Roxas.  
Strawberry-blonde boy turned his head to his angry girlfriend and sighed out loudly. He already knew what girl would say, but asked anyways. - What is it Nam?  
- It's you. You promised to come to theatre with me last weekend. And did you?  
Roxas scratched his head as Naminé kept glaring at him. Was he actually supposed to answer that? It was rhetorical question. Of course they both knew he wasn't at the theatre when he was supposed to be. Of course they both knew very well that Roxas had turned his phone off and left Naminé without any slightest information of where her boyfriend might be.  
Why was he supposed to answer? Was it some kind of trap women used at this kind of interrogation?  
Naminé narrowed her eyes.  
- You could've said _something_. I was actually worried.  
Girl pushed her light hair behind her shoulder. She leaned towards Roxas, wrapping her hands around boy's slender neck.  
- I really thought you care about me, Rox.  
Boy raised his hand to embrace her cheek. Blue round eyes, plump cherry lips... Naminé didn't have bad curves either. She was real pretty.  
- Roxas, are you listening to me?  
He winced.  
- Oh, yeah. I am. What did you say?  
Girl pursed up her lips and gave a cruel look at him when school bell rang.  
- Sorry Nam, gotta go to the class. See you later.  
Roxas pushed the girl off and left. Little stunned, Naminé muttered after him. - But you never go to your classes idiot.

***

_High school.  
It can be your worst nightmare or heaven on earth, depending on what group you belong to. For Roxas, even if he was just freshman, it was the second type.  
He had never considered himself good-looking or charming - not until high school. It didn't take long until the whole school was talking about "the freshman prince". All the girls were falling down to his feet and all the guys were more than just jealous. But not only students loved him - it was also teachers. He had the top grades of his class, even with all the hours he spend skipping lessons.  
And girlfriend, naturally the prince has a girl - and not just any girl. Naminé was the pretty face of the school, sexy and suave. Many said they were a perfect match, just like real prince and princess.  
This was the life Roxas had been living and he was happy with it. It felt right.  
Until the ESC happened._

***

Day 009, 00:03AM

There was something different in the club.  
Roxas had been various of places, but this one was just... weird. The athmosphere, the people, the whole thing was suspicious from very start. The boy didn't really care - he was young, his whole life was ahead. There was no way some girlfriend would hold him down and take him to some stupid theatres. No, it was his life and his choices. And this was his choice.  
Kind of.  
Riku had the idea of the current club but in the end, decicion was his, as always.

- Aaaaand here's your drink, Demyx offered the red liquid to Roxas over the bar counter. Boy took it and sipped a bit. The taste of alcohol was strong.  
- Thanks man. Where's Sora?  
- Probably fucking shit out of that redhead, Kairi or something like that. She confessed to him, Riku answered bluntly. Demyx grinned and chuckled.  
- You almost sound like you are jealous.  
- Of Kairi? No. Readheads are not really my thing.  
Roxas lowered his profile. He didn't really like the subject. He was doing okay with Nam but... sometimes things got really tense between the couple and that was last thing he wanted to talk about.  
Demyx turned his widely smiling face to Roxas.  
- What about you Rox, what the hell are you doing here? You've got a pretty little princess back home.  
_Shit._  
- Uh... I just wanted to hang out with you. It's not like I want to be with her 24/7.  
Blonde tried to give out a laugh, unsuccessfully.  
- You tired of her? Hey, I know! Let's check if we find a new, hotter chick for you from here!  
- Demyx stop it. You sound like a virgin. It's not that simple, now is it Rox? Riku laid a significant look at the boy.  
_You don't want to talk about it, right?_  
Roxas nodded as thanks and smiled faintly.  
- Yeah.  
Demyx looked little disappointed but cheered up as curvy, few years older mature woman came by.  
- Hey handsome. You wanna order me a drink too?  
- Hell yeah!  
Roxas and Riku looked at each other. Time to give some space.  
- Well we'll be going for a smoke, you have your time with this lady, Roxas winked at Demyx.  
Leaving him behind, the two went at the outdoors.

Riku took out his cigs and light up one. He took a deep breath and let the smoke dig into his lungs.  
- That's a bad habit you have. Smoking, Roxas stated. He kicked a pebble with the tip of his shoe and was left staring at it.  
After a long silence, Riku took out the cig from his mouth and replied merely aloud.  
- That's a bad habit _you_ have. Not telling things.  
Roxas didn't answer. He had no need to.  
Silver haired young man sighed and patted younger freshman's head.  
- I'm here. I'll always be here. You can always come to me.  
Remaining silent, Roxas nodded.  
Riku had always been like that big brother Roxas never had. The two trusted each other, never doubting what the other said. Roxas truly wanted to keep it that way.  
Riku dropped his cig on the ground and stomped upon it.  
- I'll go back inside, Demyx has probably moved on from counter anyways. You coming?  
Roxas thought for a second.  
- Uh, I think I'll stay here for a while. You go ahead.  
Riku moved on to inside, leaving Roxas alone.

For a summer night, it was pretty cold. It didn't take long until Roxas was regretting leaving his jacket inside to cloakroom.  
He looked up in the sky and ran along the wall to the ground. He was tired and pissed. Nowdays, he was always pissed. The hatred was burning inside of him, but he had no idea where it was coming from.  
- This world... maybe it's just this world.  
- You talking by yourself kiddo?  
A strong, confident voice came above Roxas' head. He looked up and saw a thin, redhead peering over him.  
- What do you want? Blonde asked and glared up to redhead's emerald eyes.  
- Me? Nothing special really.  
Redhead grinned and sat next to Roxas who recoiled farther.  
- So you want some?  
Blonde looked at the hand the redhead was offering. Pills? Aspirin?  
- Thanks... I guess.  
Roxas took the pills and swallowed immediately. Something was wrong. The redhead smiled like an idiot.  
The emerald eyes were pretty. No, not pretty, beautiful. Carving straight into the soul.  
Two diamonds. Two emerald diamonds.  
World was spinning around.  
Stars. Two green stars.  
And Roxas felt asleep.

***

Day ?, ?:?A/PM

- _...it's relevant to know that E.S.C. stands for Erean Sphygmology Cooperation. Thus controlling the human being through pulse has spread universal, we remind you that we can assure your safety while being controlled. Controlling is used through the chip and only as stated in actual contract between employee and E.S.C. employer, no other methods are currently available..._  
- We will all die.  
Roxas turned off the radio and laid his eyes upon the redhead.  
- I know.


End file.
